This inspection was carried out on 19, 21 November and 12 December 2018 and was announced.

Chrysalis Holidays provides supported holidays domestically and overseas for adults with learning disabilities. All holidays are led by an experienced manager and the activities are undertaken by qualified professionals where appropriate. The service is managed from an office located in Newton le Willows.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers they are registered persons. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the last inspection published in November 2017 we found that there were a number of improvements needed in relation to support, training and supervision, also quality audit systems had not identified areas for improvement. These were breaches of Regulation 18 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions of Effective and Well-led to at least good. The provider sent us an action plan that specified how they would meet the requirements of the identified breaches.

This inspection was undertaken to check the required improvements had been made. We found that the registered provider was meeting all the legal requirements.

The registered provider had audit systems in place that were regularly and consistently undertaken. The audit system identified areas of good practice along with areas highlighted for development and improvement.

People and their relatives spoke positively about the activities that had been undertaken during their holidays. People had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities of their choice.

The registered provider had safe recruitment practices in place. All staff had completed an induction at the start of their employment and undertaken shadow shifts with an experienced team member. Essential training was consistently completed along with refresher training when required in accordance with good practice guidelines. Staff received support through supervision and team meetings. Staff told us they felt well supported.

People's needs were assessed before they commenced any holidays with the service. This information was used to create care plans and risk assessments specific to the individual. These documents included clear guidance for staff on how to meet people's individual needs. People's needs that related to age, disability, religion and other protected characteristics were considered throughout the assessment and care planning process.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of safeguarding and had all received training. Staff felt confident to raise any concerns they had and believed they would be acted upon promptly by the management team. The registered provider had safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

People had developed positive relationships with the staff that supported them during their holidays. Privacy and dignity of people was respected and people's independence was promoted through documentation.

Medicines were managed safely in accordance with best practice guidelines. There were medicines policies and procedures in place, staff that managed people's medicines had all received training and had their competency regularly assessed.

People were complimentary about the food and drink they had during their holidays. They told us they were always offered choice and supported as required.

The Care Quality Commission as required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and report on what we found. We saw the registered provider had policies and procedures available for staff to follow in

We carried out an announced inspection of Chrysalis Holidays 24 and 25 August 2017. The service was last inspected February 2015 when it was rated as ‘good’ overall, and in four of the five domains. The service was rated as ‘requires improvement’ in safe, due to issues identified with recruitment practices, although no breaches of the regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 were identified.

At this inspection we found the provider had addressed the recruitment issues but we identified two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. These were in relation to staff training, supervision and good governance.

Chrysalis Holidays provides supported holidays domestically and overseas for adults with learning disabilities. All holidays are led by an experienced manager and the activities are undertaken by qualified professionals where appropriate. The service is managed from an office located in Newton le Willows.

At the time of the inspection the service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People using the service told us they felt safe. We saw the service had appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place. Staff had received some level of training in safeguarding vulnerable adults and children; however some staff were overdue refresher sessions in these areas. Despite this, when questioned staff were able to demonstrate a good understanding of how to report both safeguarding and whistleblowing concerns.

People using the service, professionals involved with booking or commissioning holidays and staff members told us enough staff were employed to meet people’s needs. Staffing levels were allocated based on the needs of the people attending the holiday, with an additional staff member assigned to assist on more complex holidays.

We saw that robust recruitment procedures were in place to ensure staff working for the service met the required standards. This involved all staff having a Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) check, references and full work history documented.

Staff comments about the quantity and quality of induction and refresher training varied. We were told training was usually held once or twice a year, but saw no plan in place to ensure new staff members could access practical training sessions outside of these planned training dates. The training matrix showed some staff members required refresher training in a number of areas. We also noted training people had completed in their previous employment had been included on the training matrix, rather than just sessions facilitated by the service.

Staff completed bi-annual appraisals; however supervision meetings were not facilitated. Staff meetings were held at the end of each holiday, but these focussed on the ‘customers’ experiences and any issues identified, rather than being a learning and supportive forum for staff.

We saw there was a policy and system in place to ensure the safe management of medicines. People we spoke with confirmed they received appropriate support to ensure medicines were taken when required and as prescribed.

People spoke positively about the standard of care received. People told us that staff treated them kindly, with dignity and respect whilst also promoting their independence wherever possible. People were complimentary about the staff who supported them, which was captured on feedback sheets and cards and letters sent to the service.

We looked at seven care plans and although these tended to consist of only three pages, they contained important and personalised information about the people who used th

The inspection was unannounced and took place on 01 February 2015. An arranged visit to complete the inspection was then undertaken on the 02 February 2015. The service was registered with CQC in March 2014 and this was the first inspection of the service since registration.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The organisation provides supported holidays for adults with learning disabilities. All holidays are led by experienced managers and the activities by qualified professionals wherever appropriate. A member of care staff is individually assigned to support individuals during activities, and provide any care assistance which may be required. The service is managed from an office located on the outskirts of Warrington.

We found that Chrysalis Holidays provided a personalised service to people who used the service. Staff provided people with support which was tailored to their individual needs.

The support staff were fully trained to provide flexible services that enabled people to enjoy their break and be as fulfilled and independent as possible. There were good systems in place to protect people from harm and staff had a good knowledge of people’s individual needs and of what people liked or disliked and of how they wished to live their life. Care plans were in place but those looked at lacked detail. Staff told us that that person centred thinking is as important as the planning. However they revealed that most of their knowledge about individuals was written in care file notes which had been provided by other professionals and not transferred to individual care plans. The actual care planning details were recorded in people’s own care plans in their homes and a copy provided to the support worker four days prior to the commencement of the holiday. Discussions with local authority social workers confirmed this.

Discussions with four staff members identified that they felt happy and supported and worked well as a team. They told us that the manager was most supportive and was knowledgeable about the needs, wishes and choices of all the people supported by Chrysalis Holidays. Comments included; “The manager has a clear understanding of the people we support and ensures that they are provided with holidays and support staff that provide all the support they need” and “We are passionate about assisting and promoting social inclusion where everyone has the opportunity to carry out activities and interests of their choice.”

We saw that the service had a safeguarding procedure in place. This was designed to ensure that any possible problems that arose were dealt with openly and people were protected from possible harm.

We looked at the files for the three most recently appointed members off staff who were employed to work for the agency to check that effective recruitment procedures had been completed. We found that appropriate checks had been completed by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and qualifications had been checked and verified. However the registered provider told us that prior to Chrysalis CQC registration, staff references were not requested. Discussion with the administrative manager identified that the supported holiday service had been functioning since 1991 although it had not been registered with CQC until March 2014. Prior to registration it had not been the company policy to seek written references and verbal references had been accepted. However since CQC registration the recruitment policy and procedures have been updated. In future all applications for employment will include the provision of two written references to further ensure that people are suitable to work with vulnerable people. Therefore at the time of our inspection we did not find any references on file to give assurances that people were suitable to work with vulnerable adults.

The provider had their own induction training programme that was designed to ensure staff members had the skills they needed to do their jobs effectively and competently.

We asked three staff members working in the service about training and they confirmed that they received regular training throughout the year and that it was up to date.

The service had a range of policies and procedures which helped staff refer to good practice and included guidance on the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This meant that the staff members were aware of people's rights to make their own decisions.

The staffing rotas we looked at demonstrated that there were sufficient numbers of staff provided to meet the needs of the people receiving a service from the agency. This was confirmed by the two people we spoke with who had been accompanied by support staff on a recent holiday. The service has provided structured supported holidays for over 1500 people. The vast majority of people who requested a supported holiday were in need of minimal support or assistance with personal care.

People we spoke with who were professionally involved with the people who used the service were positive about how the agency was being managed and the quality of the support being provided.